Chelen Johnson
[NITARP] is a fabulous experience – I feel like after several years I am understanding more of the talks, able to engage in a real conversation with astronomers, ask questions one on one, interpret more on posters – just feel more astronomically literate.
What was especially important to me as an educator was the way that the students planned their own schedule of listening to research presentations [at the AAS] and reviewing poster presentations. The students were very active participants in the conference and they took away an amazing amount of information and excitement. One parent told me that her normally quiet son spent the entire weekend relating stories of the experience to his family and friends.
For the teacher, connecting with working scientists and networking with other colleagues has immeasurable value. I plan to utilize these relationships and potentially other projects spawned by them for years to come.
